Funny Face

a.k.a. Funny Face / 1957

( 15 )

Overview

This filmed version of the 1927 George Gershwin Broadway musical Funny Face utilizes the play's original star, Fred Astaire, and several of the original tunes, then goes merrily off on its own. Astaire is cast as as fashion photographer Dick Avery a character based on Richard Avedon, the film's "visual consultant", who is sent out by his female boss Maggie Prescott Kay Thompson to find a "new face." It doesn't take Dick long to discover Jo Audrey Hepburn, who does her own singing, an owlish Greenwich Village bookstore clerk. Acting as Pygmalion to Jo's Galatea, Dick whisks the wide-eyed girl off to Paris and transforms her into the fashion world's hottest model. Along the way, he falls in love with Jo, and works overtime
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More About This Product

Overview

This filmed version of the 1927 George Gershwin Broadway musical Funny Face utilizes the play's original star, Fred Astaire, and several of the original tunes, then goes merrily off on its own. Astaire is cast as as fashion photographer Dick Avery a character based on Richard Avedon, the film's "visual consultant", who is sent out by his female boss Maggie Prescott Kay Thompson to find a "new face." It doesn't take Dick long to discover Jo Audrey Hepburn, who does her own singing, an owlish Greenwich Village bookstore clerk. Acting as Pygmalion to Jo's Galatea, Dick whisks the wide-eyed girl off to Paris and transforms her into the fashion world's hottest model. Along the way, he falls in love with Jo, and works overtime to wean her away from such phony-baloney intellectuals as Professor Emile Flostre Michel Auclair. The Gershwin tunes include the title song, "S'wonderful," "How Long Has This Been Going On" and "He Loves and She Loves"; among the newer numbers is Kay Thompson's energetic opener "Think Pink." For years available only in washed-out, flat prints, Funny Face was eventually restored to its full Technicolor and VistaVision glory. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Special Features

The fashion designer and his muse; Parisian dreams; Paramount in the '50s - retrospective featurette; Photo gallery; Theatrical trailer

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide
The Paris fashion scene is rendered in broad, cartoonish glory by director Stanley Donen in Audrey Hepburn's first attempt at a major studio musical. Hepburn's American naif is discovered in a bookstore by photographer Dick Avery played by Fred Astaire, in a deliberate homage to Richard Avedon, who romances her into the role of his It girl. Donen satirizes the fashion industry as gently as he did the movie business in Singin' in the Rain, poking fun at the milieu without diminishing its escapist glamour. The candy-colored sets and stellar George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin songbook, including "S'wonderful" and Kay Thompson's witty rendition of "Think Pink," are Funny Face's most lasting qualities. The musical's strengths are enough to make one overlook the preposterous gulf between the ages of the two leads, or the script's facile, anti-intellectual subplot. Michael Hastings

Product Details

  • Release Date: 10/2/2007
  • UPC: 097361308425
  • Original Release: 1957
  • Rating:
  • Source: PARAMOUNT
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Wide Screen
  • Time: 1:43:00

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Audrey Hepburn Jo Stockton
Fred Astaire Dick Avery
Kay Thompson Maggie Prescott
Michel Auclair Prof. Emile Flostre
Robert Flemyng Paul Duval
Virginia Gibson Babs
Suzy Parker Specialty Dancer
Sue England Laura
Sunny Harnett Specialty Dancer
Ruta Lee Lettie
Jean del Val Hairdresser
Alex Gerry Dovitch
Iphigenie Castiglioni Armande
Genevieve Aumont French Actress
Fern Barry Southern Wife
Nesdon Booth Southern Man
Nina Borget Assistant Hairdresser
Jan Bradley Crying Girl
Marcel dela Brosse
Peter Camlin Man Buyer
Jack Chefe Frenchman
Jerry Chiat Man on Head
Claudette Colbert
Gabriel Curtiz Man Next to Hand Stand
Albert D'Arno Beautician
George Dee Seedy Man
Dovima Marion
Diane Du Bois Mimi
Carole Eastman
Louise Glenn Junior Editor
Albert Godderis Seedy Man
Heather Hopper
Nancy Kilgas Melissa
Donald Lawton Airport Clerk
Jerry Lucas Bruiser
Karine Nordman French Girl
Elsa Peterson Woman Buyer
Don Powell
Cecile Rogers Junior Editor
Karen Scott Gigi
Elizabeth Slifer Mme. La Farge
Paul L. Smith Steve
Emilie Stevens Assistant Dance Director
Marilyn White Receptionist
Adolph Deutsch Conductor
Technical Credits
Stanley Donen Director
Fred Astaire Choreography
Frank Bracht Editor
Sam Comer Set Decoration/Design
Alexander Courage Musical Arrangement
George W. Davis Art Director
Hubert de Givenchy Costumes/Costume Designer
Adolph Deutsch Score Composer, Musical Direction/Supervision
Roger Edens Score Composer, Producer
John P. Fulton Special Effects
Leonard Gershe Score Composer, Screenwriter
Ira Gershwin Score Composer
Edith Head Costumes/Costume Designer
Ray June Cinematographer
Eugene Loring Choreography
Ray Moyer Set Decoration/Design
Hal Pereira Art Director
Wally Westmore Makeup

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Funny Face
1. Main Titles
2. Think Pink
3. A Woman Who Thinks
4. Empathy
5. How Long Has This Been Going On?
6. The Quality Woman
7. Funny Face
8. Bonjour, Paris!
9. Basal Metabolism
10. Let's Kiss and Make Up
11. Take the Picture!
12. He Loves and She Loves
13. On How to Be Lovely
14. Professor Flaustre
15. Lovers Quarrel
16. Clap Yo' Hands
17. Flaustre
18. The Collection
19. S'Wonderful

Menu

Disc #1 -- Funny Face
   Play
   Set Up
      Audio Options
         English 5.1 Surround
         English Mono
         Français
         Español
         Português
      Subtitle Options
         English
         Español
         Français
         Português
         None
   Special Features
      The Fashion Designer and His Muse
      Parisian Dreams
      Paramount in the 50's - Retrospective Featurette
      Photo Gallery
      Theatrical Trailer
   Scene Selection

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 15 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(9)

4 Star

(4)

3 Star

(2)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

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Sort by: Showing all of 15 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    AWESOME

    This movie is so cool.I love it.Audrey hepburn is such a great actress.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    A reviewer

    If you love Audrey Hepburn, then you'll love this movie! I have yet to see a better movie. Audrey Hepburn is awesome!. OH, and Fred Astaire isn't too bad either.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 19, 2003

    S' Wonderful!!!

    This moive is AWESOME! I am a big fan of Audrey Hepburn and she is wonderful as Jo. Fred Astaire is a absolutley fabulous dancer, and this movie S'Wonderful!! Once you own it you will see what i mean!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

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    Posted February 22, 2009

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